Deb's Monthly Review
bullet March 2003 bullet Editor: Deb Thompson
deb@lightpatch.com
Festivals for Travelers,
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Special Quote
"The first responsibility of a
leader is to define reality.
The last is to say thank you.
In between, the leader
is a servant."
--Max De Pree
The Other Side Of The News: To parents, teachers,
and other
guardians of children:

The Review is a place where adults or kids should be
able to stop by and browse comfortably.
But, remember - I have no control over outside links.
For happiest results, please surf the Web with your kids!

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The Artsy Site
Of The Month:

True Fresco
Forums, supplies, articles, and shows featuring
fresco painting.

Handy Site
Of The Month:

TravelMate Overview
Female assistance for iffy restroom facilities--or
no rest room at all.

Just Fun Site
Of The Month:

20 Questions, The Classic Game
Played with artificial intelligence.
Sign up, or play as a guest.

Scientific Site
Of The Month:

American Petroleum Institute
The U.S. uses up to one-quarter of the world's oil.
Where does all the oil come from?

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Buy great spices at great prices
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March Events
Festivals For March Travelers

March 1-2, 2003
Mussel Fest
various venues,
Coupeville, Washington.
Music, art, scavenger hunt, chowder-cooking contest, cooking demonstrations, children's activities.
Further Details: Call 360-678-5434.

March 1-2, 2003
Blossom Days Festival
Sanger Civic Center Park,
Sanger, California.
10K Run, 2 mile walk, quarter mile kids run, pancake breakfast, library book sale, Depot Museum tours, entertainment, arts and crafts.
More: Call 559-875-4575.

March 1-2, 2003
Floral City Strawberry Festival
Floral Park,
Floral City, Florida.
Strawberry shortcake, other foods, music, arts and crafts. This is the festival's 16th year.
Additional Information: Call 352-726-2801.

March 1-2, 2003
Winthrop Hot Air Balloon Festival
various venues,
Winthrop, Washington.
Balloon glow on Saturday night, early morning balloon launches.
Details: Call 888-463-8469.

March 1-2, 2003
Downtown Venice Art Classic
West Venice Avenue,
Venice, Florida.
70,000 are expected to attend this event of fine art, music and food.
More Information: Call 941-484-6722 or 954-472-3755.

March 1-2, 2003
Spring Craft Fair
unknown venue(s),
Cocoa Village, Florida.
Simply put, crafts.
Additional Details: Call 321-631-9075.

March 2, 2003
Chocolate and Coffee Festival
Adirondack Community College
Gym on Bay Road,
Queensbury, New York
Coffee and chocolate samplings, music, plus a raffle.
Tickets: Call 518-793-1348.

March 2-9, 2003
Forsythia Festival
Forsyth Park,
Forsyth, Georgia.
Beauty pageant, golf tournament, entertainment, used book sale, organ recital, yellow dessert contest, fishing tournament, horsehoe tournament, 5K run, pancake breakfast, classic car show, arts and crafts fair.
Additional Information: Call 478-994-9239 or 888-642-4628.

March 7-8, 2003
Camden Daffodil Festival
unknown venue,
Camden, Arkansas.
Garden tours, tours of historic homes, children's events, wild turkey calling contest, steak cooking contest, golf tournament, 5K run, arts and crafts, cemetery walk, foods.
Further Details: Call 870-836-0023.

March 7-9, 2003
Florida Azalea Festival
Downtown area,
Palatka, Florida.
Helicopter rides, Shriners parade, kids casting contest, bike show, entertainment, bass tournament, talent show, arts and crafts show, rib cooking contest.
Additional Information: Call 386-326-4001.

March 7-9, 2003
Bashas' Chandler Ostrich Festival
Tumbleweed Park,
Chandler, Arizona.
Music by groups such as America and Grand Funk Railroad, ostrich races, Xtreme Air Show, parade, storytelling, kids zone, ostrich products for sale, arts and crafts. This is the festival's 15th year.
Details: Call 480-963-4571 Ext. 105.

March 8-9, 2003
Winter Carnival
Kissing Bridge on Rt. 240,
Glenwood, New York.
Treasure hunts, costume contest, on-snow mountain bike racing, and more.
More Information: Call 800-367-9691 or 716-592-4963.

March 8-9, 2003
Hebron Maple Festival
various venues,
Hebron, Connecticut.
Self-tours of operating sugar houses, maple bake sale, used book sale, Sugar on Snow, nature walks, historic building tours, pancake breakfast, pony rides, ice cream eating contest, girl scout cookie sale, historical quilt exhibition and sale, teacup auction, roast beef church supper, coloring contest, maple cotton candy, other foods. The "blizzard dates" for the festival are March 15-16.
Further Information: Call 860-228-5971.

March 14-15, 2003
Azalea Festival
Drexel Park,
Valdosta, Georgia.
Parade, KidZone, Circus, fireworks, bike ride, arts and crafts, Youth Expo, entertainment, food, home and garden tours.
Details: Call 229-245-0513.

March 14-16, 2003
Zinfandel Festival
various venues,
Paso Robles, California.
Tastings, wine dinners, tours, seminars and cooking demonstrations, silent auctions.
Additional Information: Call 805-239-8463.

March 15, 2003
Wild Chicken Festival
Main Street area downtown,
Fitzgerald, Georgia.
Boat exhibit, arts and crafts, pet parade, bird of prey show, food..
Further Information: Call 229-423-4321 or 800-346-4642.

March 15-16, 2003
Ocean Arts Fest
Banyan Tree Park,
Lahaina, Hawaii.
This event celebrates humpback whales and other marine life with art, kids' activities, entertainment and more.
Additional Details: Call 808-667-9193.

March 15-16, 2003
Dandelion Days
Downtown area,
Jackson, California.
Outdoor peddler's faire with crafts and food.
Further Information: Call 209-223-1706.

March 15-16, 2003
Maple Syrup Festival
Mapleberry Farms,
Mt. Tabor Road,
Waverly, Ohio.
Guided walking tours of the farm, and pancake dinners (with real maple syrup, of course!) served all day.
More Information: Call 740-947-2331.

March 16, 2003
Jewish Festival
Melbourne Auditorium,
625 E. Hibiscus Ave.,
Melbourne, Florida.
Cultural displays, children's corner, art, pottery, books, jewelry, entertainment and plenty of Jewish food.
Further Details: Call 321-636-1824.

March 20-23, 2003
Festival of Flowers
Spring Hill College,
Old Shell Road,
Mobile, Alabama.
Exhibits by floral groups, designer tablescapes, landscaped gardens by professional designers and contractors, seminars, Southern Living Gardening School (must reserve a ticket in advance), Garden Cafe and more.
Ticket Information: Call 521-639-2050 or 877-777-0529.

March 21-23, 2003
Bayou City Art Festival
Memorial Park,
Houston, Texas.
300 artists participate in this event, with activities such as Mad Hat Making for kids, musical entertainment, and festival foods such as roasted corn, creampuffs, quesadillas and ice cream mixed on marble slabs. Proceeds benefit local charitable organizations such as the Art League of Houston and the (SNAP) Spay-Neuter Assistance Program.
More Information: Call 321-636-1824.

March 21-23, 2003
Street Fair
Fourth Avenue,
Tucson, Arizona.
400 arts and crafts booth, 35 food vendors, entertainment on stage and street performances, kids' entertainment.
Additional Information: Call 520-624-5004.

March 21-30, 2003
International Cherry Blossom Festival
various venues,
Macon, Georgia.
Cherry tree sales, helicopter rides, pony rides, ikebana displays, ball, lantern light tours, sea lion show, choral concert, flower show, bingo, horse-drawn carriage rides, riding tours, pink pancake breakfast, paper making workshops, fly-in, Mulberry Street Arts & Crafts Festival, food vendors, worship services, international food fair and more.
More: Call 478-751-7429.

March 22-23, 2003
Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival
Georgia International Horse Park,
1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway,
Conyers, Georgia.
More than 400 crafts booths, international food court, entertainment, activities for kids, virtual reality games, cherry tree sales..
Additional Information: Call 800-CONYERS or 770-602-2606.

March 22-23, 2003
Atlantique City Spring Festival
Atlantic City Convention Center,
Atlantic City, New Jersey.
More than 10 (indoor) acres of antiques on display and for sale.
More: Call 800-526-2724.

March 28-30, 2003
Pittsburgh Arts & Crafts
Spring Fever Festival

Expo Center At Westmoreland Mall,
on U.S. Route 30,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
More than 220 booths will display original arts and crafts. More than 15,000 people attended last year's event. In addition to merchandise there are many festival foods with a large eat-in dining area.
Further Details: Call 724-863-4577.

March 26-30, 2003
Tennessee Williams Festival
various French Quarter
locations,
New Orleans, Louisiana.
The event showcases the playwright's work with panel discussions, lectures, literary walking tours, music, a book fair, theatrical performances, readings, and a one-act play competition. Some events are ticketed separately.
Additional Information: Call 504-581-1144.

March 27-30, 2003
Louisiana Crawfish Festival
St. Bernard Civic Center,
8245 W. Judge Perez Drive,
Chalmette, Louisiana.
This is the event's 28th year, and festival-goers are welcome to enjoy carnival rides and booths, plus many foods.
More Details: Call 504-271-3836.

March 28, 2003
All That Jazz! A Taste Of Old Monterey!
Double Tree Hotel,
Monterey, California.
Music, a silent auction of products and services, wine and food samplings. This is the event's 3rd year.
Ticket Information: Call 831-655-8072.

March 29, 2003
Elberta German Sausage Festival
Elberta Town Park,
Elberta, Alabama.
The Volunteer Fire Department sponsors this event, which includes music and dancing, games, children's rides, arts and crafts, and food booths. German sausages are the special focus.
Additional Information: Call 251-986-5377.

March Somethings!
Brief, bare-boned last-minute festival listings:

Mar. 1-2 Heritage Days Festival, Ft. Zachary Taylor Historic Site, Key West, Florida, 305-292-6713
Mar. 1-2 Gasparilla Festival Of The Arts, Downtown, Tampa, Florida, 813-876-1747
Mar. 2 Portuguese Day in the Park, Gilbert Carvalho Park, Hilo, Hawaii, 808-935-0547
Mar. 7-9 Dixieland Monterey Festival, various venues, Monterey, California, 888-349-6879
Mar. 7-9 Storytelling Festival, Mariposa, California, 800-903-9936
Mar. 8-9 Pleasure Island Festival Of Art, Lake Shelby (Gulf State Park), Gulf Shores, Alabama, 251-981-1852
Mar. 8-9 Bok Kai Parade & Bomb Day, Marysville, California, 530-743-4151
Mar. 11-16 Nederland Heritage Festival, Boston Avenue, Nederland, Texas, 409-724-2269
Mar. 13-16 Louisiana Purchase Motorcycle Rally, Sugararena, New Iberia, Louisiana, 337-365-4277
Mar.13-16 Canyon Country Western Arts Festival, Cedar City, Utah, 800-354-4849
Mar. 14-16 Unite-A-Fest, Lauderhill Mall, Lauderhill, Florida, 954-972-9628
Mar. 14-16 Jonquil Festival, Old Washington State Historic Park, Washington, Arkansas, 870-983-2684
Mar. 14-16 Fairhope Arts & Crafts Festival, Downtown, Fairhope, Alabama, 251-928-2228
Mar. 14-16 Rabbit Festival, City Park, Iowa, Louisiana, 800-456-7952
Mar. 14-16 Catfish Festival, Downtown, Washington, Louisiana, 337-826-3627
Mar. 14-16 Taste of Solvang, various venues, Solvang, California, 800-468-6765
Mar. 15-16 Whale Festival, Fort Bragg, California, 707-961-6300
Mar. 18 Maple Sugar Festival, Kalamazoo Nature Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan 616-381-1574
Mar. 21-24 Aleutian Goose Festival, Crescent City, California, 800-343-8300 or 707-465-0800
Mar. 23-24 Georgia Art & Rubber Stamp Festival, 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy #100, Duluth, Georgia, 800-224-6422
Mar. 28-30 Creole Festival, City Park, Jeanerette, Louisiana, 888-942-3742
Mar. 29 Arts & Crafts Festival, County Fairgrounds, Norman, Oklahoma, 405-360-4721
Mar. 29-30 KidsFest, Bozeman, Montana, 406-522-0074
Mar. 29-30 & Apr. 2-6 Maple Festival, Meyers Avenue, Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, 814-634-0213


Other March 2003 Events You Might Enjoy
Mar. 1-2 Model Train Show, Maude Cobb Convention Center, Longview, Texas, 903-237-1231
Mar. 1-2 Arts & Crafts Show & Sale, Madison-Morgan Cultural Center, Madison, Georgia, 706-342-4743
Mar. 1-2 Kentucky Crafted: The Market, Fair & Expo Center, Louisville, Kentucky, 888-592-7238
Mar. 2-9 Philadelphia Flower Show, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 215-988-8899
Mar. 6-9 Birmingham Home & Garden Show, Birmingham-Jefferson Conv. Center, Birmingham, Alabama, 205-680-0234
Mar. 7-9 Home & Recreation Expo, Collins-Perley Sports Center, St. Albans, Vermont, 802-796-4010
Mar. 7-9 Spring Arts and Crafts Show, Fairgrounds, Spokane, Washington, 509-924-0588
Mar. 8-9 Kayak Expo, Okeeheelee Park, West Palm Beach, Florida, 561-881-7218
Mar. 8-9 Depression Glass Era Show & Sale, Concord Plaza, Northlake, Illinois, 630-734-9912
Mar. 9 Calle Ocho, Southwest Eighth St., Miami, Florida, 305-644-8888
Mar. 8-9 Buffalo Home and Garden Show, Convention Center, Buffalo, New York, 716-631-2266 ext. 213
Mar. 8-9 Red River Arts & Crafts Show & Sale, Rapides Coliseum, Alexandria, Louisiana, 318-640-7463
Mar. 20-23 Home & Garden Show, S. Florida Expo Center, West Palm Beach, Florida, 800-274-6948
Mar. 21-23 Bagwell Antiques Show & Sale, Fairgrounds, Jackson, Mississippi, 662-231-9654
Mar. 22-23 Used Book Super Sale, Marin Center Exhibit Hall, San Rafael, California, 415-892-0238


It's always best to call ahead to verify festival information.
Please tell them you saw the information in Deb's Monthly Review.

Please don't write and ask for personalized information on upcoming festivals,
(unless you want to hire me for personal research!)

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Car Comfort

You know how to barter--all you do is trade
Something you have for something you want!

Keep more of your cash--
And barter!

Check out Santa Cruz Barter!

www.santacruzbarter.com

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SPECIAL FEATURE

I'm From Missouri Too, Mr. Ashcroft
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When my grandfather came to the United States he was encouraged to "go West". Back then, West meant going as far as Kansas. He chose Missouri, and so I ended up being born and raised there too.

Missouri's an interesting place to be "from". People still argue about how to pronounce the name of the state. If you live there, you usually let that last "i" drop off like an "uh" sound. Folks not from Missouri tend to put a long "e" sound on the end. Once people get past the pronunciation, they usually don't know what else to say about the state. It's a land of seemingly bottomless underground springs and endless caves. It boasts lead mines, cattle and hog farms, small industry and tourism. The people are tradtionally hearty, hard-working, down-to-earth and very Republican (with some exceptions).

Harry Truman was from Missouri, and Americans saw in Truman that no-nonsense, basic approach to problems that earned him respect from colleagues, and even from some enemies. He spoke out in favor of voting rights for Americans of all colors and backgrounds, and he came out in recognition of the state of Israel. By the way, Truman was a Democrat, and not a Missouri Republican. I've heard that he liked early morning walks, a good glass of Bourbon and was a Christian by religion, and a Baptist by denomination. He was a veteran of World War I. In life, he chose his battles, and when he believed he was right, he never faltered. When he was proven wrong, he spoke up and said so.

Our country's current Attorney General, John Ashcroft, also grew up in Missouri. I hear he likes to sing, which makes me happy, because I enjoy singing. He seems to have delivered Missouri from much financial distress during his years there as State Auditor, Assistant Attorney General, Attorney General, and Governor. He was, however, eventually beaten in the political arena in that state by Mel Carnahan, posthumously. Ashcroft is Republican, has said he is against abortion (unless the life of the host is threatened by carrying to term), and speaks in favor of the societal use of the death penalty. Ashcroft sought for, and received, an occupational deferment during the Vietnam War, and taught business law at Southwest Missouri State University. From what I read, Ashcroft is a Christian, and a member of the Assemblies of God denomination. He seems to be willing to let gun-ownership be an individual choice. He is a Republican.

His path into the U.S. Attorney General chair was not a smooth one. There were questions over his blocking of Missouri Supreme Court Judge Ronnie White (who happens to be black and--as I recall--pro-choice) to a federal judgeship. His nomination by President Bush was later confirmed by a margin of 4 votes.

When you have some time, take a look at the site for the Southern Partisan, a publication which bills itself as "neo-Confederate". Ashcroft seemed to speak well of them. Study the publication thoroughly for your own best education.

This week there were some news stories circulating that told of Federal crackdowns on the selling of what is termed "drug paraphernalia". Some sales were originating from internet web sites, but some brick-and-mortar stores commonly known as "head shops" were also being targeted in the sweep. John Ashcroft praised the Drug Enforcement Administration's work. I'm still trying to get a real definition of what is considered to be "drug paraphernalia", so I'm not yet sure whether it's a good thing or not. If these are items that can also be used for legal tobacco and other substances, I have some questions about the "raids". I have questions anyway, because this week a report came out claiming that almost 20 per cent of the drinking in America is done by underage citizens. You can read more about this in the Journal of American Medical Association's article.

What can we do? We live in a country where some people legally make their living off tobacco, some people legally use it, and some people illegally use it. The same is true for alcohol and its consumption. And do we see the Drug Enforcement Administration making raids on tobacco farmers, brewers and winemakers? Those folks have plenty of paraphernalia, but somehow it's legal. And I can tell the good Mr. Ashcroft where the next big (legal) drug is for young people. All he has to do is visit a a coffee house. There are 10-year olds in there ordering triple shots of espresso, standing right alongside the tired cop on the local beat.

I guess I'm just asking--where does it end? Do we police everything and everyone because they "might" be doing something illegal with "paraphernalia"? Do we want to pay our Federal employees (and make no mistake--they work for us--we are their bosses) to spend our tax money on these things?
John Ashcroft wrote a pretty fair article entitled Keep Big Brother's Hands Off The Internet back in October of 1997. There are some really good lines in that article that could well apply to all forms of government policing. He closed the article with:
"Government's role should be to break down barriers, to allow everyone to excel to their highest and best."

We hope you mean that, John Ashcroft. We really do.

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Once upon a time there was a man with a gentle voice and quiet charm. He made several movies and worked in a TV show playing a character who rode a motorcycle from town to town, touching lives, and singing a little here and there. Then some of us didn't hear much of him for awhile.
We wondered if he would ever come to sing for us again.

Michael Parks is singing, and he recorded 17 songs for us to enjoy, including:

I'll Never Be Free
Basin Street Blues
Don't Go To Strangers
Easy Street

This CD was a long time
coming, but it was
worth waiting for.

Take a trip to
Listen Recordings
where you can order your copy.

Michael Parks - Coolin Soup' - Listen Recordings

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A Little Browsing...


Above: Metallic Choker Necklace

Left: Dreamcatcher Earrings

We're pleased to host the work of artisan Joan Garnand on our little patch of light on the web. Joan's creations are finally finding their way out of her Tennessee community and into the hearts of admirers everywhere.

Joan also spends much of her time doing hand-painted stationery and face painting at private events and at Tennessee festivals.


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The man in the banner below this text is not your average guy next door.
This man is Scott L. Schwartz.
If you ever get into trouble, you'll want him on your side.


This guy means business.
And his business is playing big and bad.
Big may come easy, because he's 6'10" and weighs about 300 pounds.
I'm not sure how he pulls off the bad part though, because he actually seems to be very...

Well, never mind. Just click on the banner and get ready for some action.

http://www.ultimatebadguy.com/

www.ultimatebadguy.com

Scott played a camouflage wrestler in the highly successful film Spiderman,
which is now out on DVD.

Scott got to show us his big bad work in the CBS special
Return To The Bat Cave, which aired March 9.


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Humans do strange things during the spring, and food always seems to play into the mix. One of these food traditions turns 50 this year. Have a closer look at the candy we call Marshmallow Peeps. You can enter a skill-based contest and try to win a year's supply of the treats.

And in case you celebrate Purim, here's a great site with lots of Purim recipes. The Hamantaschen pastries sound tasty, and I could definitely feast nicely on the Chocolate Challah!


If you are troubled by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) you might benefit from increased light. Exercise outdoors may give even more relief. You can read more about this illness from the Mental Health Association of America's SAD Factsheet.


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If you can't sleep, there is still good news. For about ten dollars, you can get your very own Serta Sheep. Head over to Serta and look for the link to Buy Sheep Stuff.
More clever merchandising: Chevron introduced the little cars to help promote Techron. The cars are so popular that they now have their own site. Big kids and little kids will enjoy The Chevron Cars.


  
If Johnny still can't read, maybe it's because the mainstream school literature doesn't speak to his need to be tough. A few years ago Lawrence Baines did an article for The ALAN Review that listed 50 books the boys in the 'hood might read, in Cool Books For Tough Guys. I especially liked his technique of stressing the "coolness" of banned books.


Rotating Courses
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Gourmet Gifts @ Indian Harvest! Click to Shop!

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www.ultimatebadguy.com and www.michaelparks.com
are owned by the respective artists/webmasters and are displayed here with their consent.
Deb's Monthly Review is copyrighted!
It is not in the public domain.
When in doubt about your use of someone's writings or graphics, ask!

Please don't link back to the graphics on the Review - copy them to your own server! Thanks!

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The updated article is here.

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